Eobeet m



(No Model.)

B. M. SKILES. WAGON END GATE.

No. 327,830. Patented Oct. 6, 18.85,

' NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. SKILES, OF VAN ORIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNbR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAMH. JOHN, OF SAME PLACE.

WAGON EN D-GATE.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,830, dated October6, 1885.

Application filed April 16, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. SKILEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Van Orin, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Bodies, ofwhich the following is a specification, to wit:

This invention relates to an improvement in wagon-bodies; and itconsists in certain peculiarities of the construction and arrangement ofthe same, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully set forth andclaimed.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a perspective view of the rear end of a wagon-bodywith my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same in adifferent position, and Fig. 3 is a detail View of the pivot-iron.

A represents the body of a farm-wagon of any desired size and kind. Thisbody is deepened by the addition of top boards, a, to the sides in theusual way, which are provided with cleats a a to retain the end-boards,as shown. In all farm-wagons it is often desirable to use an inclinedextension or endgate at the rear end of the body for shoveling the loadout to better advantage, and it is to make such a device, that may beapplied to any body without being built for the purpose, that I designthis invention.

D represents what I term a shovelingboard, which takes the place of therear endgate commonly used, and has at each lower corner an angle-plate,b, on which is cast alug, 12, forming a pivot on which the device isturned up or down. This board is strengthened by several cleats orcross-bars, b andis provided on each side with one or more hooked irons,

Serial No. 162,447. (No model.)

0, which, when the device is lifted, engage the ends of the wagon-bodyand prevent spreading, as in Fig. 1. The sides of the board B areprovided with beveled side pieces, B, to direct the load in shovelingover it.

In using this device the usual sliding endgate in common use is removedand the lugs b of this board allowed to slide down between theguide-cleats a a of the body. The stayrods which are commonly found inwagonbodies are removed,and this device can then be raised or lowered atwill upon its pivots, and when lifted it is held in position by a bolt,(1, on each side, which engages the hole (1, made for the stay-rod, andthereby saves additional perforation of the sides. When lowered, theshoveling-board is supported in position by a pair of jointed arms orbraces, e, or by chains e, both of which are shown in the drawings.These firmly brace the device; but are readily folded out of the waywhen closed, as in Fig. 1. I secure these braces to the body through theholes made for the upper stay-rod, as before, and it will be seen thatthe device is thus readily attached to any ordinary wagon-body withoutthe necessity for any change or the use of tools.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The board B,with its side pieces, B, in combination with the angularplates b, having lugs b, the bolts d, hooked irons o, and braces e c,all constructed and arranged for operation, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, ROBERT M. SKILES.

Witnesses:

W. O. MoAR'rHUR, CHAS. KRESSMANN.

